Drabbles and stuff
by Barking Lizards
Summary: a whole bunch of random stuff that can be about anyone, probably mostly dalek fluff though, but idk...i missed 6-28-12 by a minute. darn loading computer... /:
1. I wanna go to Glasgow!

**Well first off, I have to say that today is June 28, 2012, and that is the 98****th**** anniversary of the Archduke and his wife's killing. So that's pretty sad.**

**On a lighter note, if anyone watched the prelims for the Olympics today, one of the girl finalists for the medley went to my school. I won't say her name cause then you would know where I live…but that's pretty awesome! And I know her too! :D **

**So anyways, I decided I'm going to give you a random little fic about something because of the anniversary…I suppose it's a drabble or a one-shot. I don't really know yet. This is probably gonna be a series of random plots and stuff that come to my mind, but I probably won't update it very often until after I'm done with my first story.**

**Well anyways, he goes nothing! :D**

Franz Ferdinand was tired of traveling. He has been to England, and Japan, and Brazil, and Australia, and Angola! And now he was as tired as a bear in hibernation.

They were traveling around the world, and his father, being one of the many Archdukes', they travelled a lot. However, he's never taken this long of a trip before now. He's been meeting so many officials for just a young five year old boy.

But there was still one more stop left on their journey. They were travelling to America!

Franz had learned a lot about the country going across the world in a newfangled Zeppelin. He had figured out that the country was split in two parts, Darwinist's in the North, and Clanker's in the South.

And they were staying the longest in the crazy country. For a whole month, he would be seeing the capital and all the major cities in every state. Though he really didn't understand why.

The royal family was coming from Australia, and they were planning to have lunch the next day with a man named Abraham Lincoln.

"Momma, I'm tired, why can't we go home?" the young archduke asked.

His pregnant mother just sighed, "Franz, you can sleep enough when you're dead. And we are on business. Why don't you go play with your younger brother?"

….

"Artemis, are you all packed?" his father called from the bottom of the stairs.

"Almost, sir," he replied.

Young Artemis was travelling to America. His father had been asked to have lunch with the president the following week, and he was allowed to take his family.

Mr. Sharp had the highest rank in the Royal Air Service. He was a Marshal, and he was the most liked of the whole Air Force. So when the Admiral declined the offer for personal business, he sent the request to Mr. Daniel Sharp.

**Next week…**

America was an amazing place in Artemis' opinion. The six-year-old hadn't been out of England, so traveling to America was the best day of his life. And he just found out that they were half Clanker. Which didn't really sit well with him, but he disregarded the thought and proceeded to follow his father into the White House. Which was apparently a big huge mansion, and not technically in a 'state.'

He was looking at the pictures on the walls of the Mansion when his father called him. Mr. Sharp was talking to a family that was dressed sort of posh in his mind. The father and two young boys were wearing dark blue suits with gold buttons and knee length boots, whereas the mother was very pregnant and was wearing a long, fluffy purple dress.

"Artemis, I want to introduce you to the Hapsburg-Lorraine family. They're from Austria. And young Franz is about your age," his father informed him. "Now while we wait for everyone to arrive, I want you two to go run off and play. Just be back in time for lunch," His father warned.

Artemis nodded his head and walked with the boy named Franz over to the pictures again.

….

Franz Ferdinand didn't understand why the man with a strange accent had him go and play with his strange boy, nor did he understand why his parents had let him. But he didn't really care, at least there was someone to talk to that was near his own age, instead of his three-year-old brother.

"Hey, so what do you like to do?" Artemis asked.

Franz had to think, he'd never been asked that before, "I suppose I like studying, it's the only thing I ever do. What about you?" He responded.

"You like to study? Huh, that seems boring. Well I like to fly! Me da always takes me, and tis the best feeling in the world!"

"Oh, well that seems fun; I wish my father would take me flying. All he does is sit in boring meetings and talk." Franz was wondering where this boy was from, his accent was so different from anything that he's ever heard.

"Your accent is very weird, Franz. Where do you live?" Artemis wondered.

"My accent is weird? I believe yours' is much weirder than mine. And I'm from Graz, Austria. What about you?"

"Oh, I was born in Glasgow, Scotland."

"That's really cool. I wonder, do you thin-" Franz was cut short.

Just then the dinner bell rang. Franz said goodbye to Artemis and headed back to his family.

"Mother, do you think we can make one more stop on our trip when we head back home?" he pleaded.

"Perhaps, where were you planning on going?"

"I want to go to Glasgow!"


	2. I wanna go to Glasgow! 2

**i know i just posted this but i wanted to finish the story. so here it is.**

**i dont own the leviathan.**

After lunch, Franz noticed that Artemis was walking towards him. The young Archduke had never had a friend like him before, and it was all so new to him.

"Hi, Franz! What are you doing now?" he asked.

"Hi, Artemis. Right now my family is going back to our ship. And then we're going to travel around the United States tomorrow. What about you and your father?"

The Scottish boy seemed sad all of the sudden. "Oh, me and my da are just gonna go home. It was just a short trip."

Suddenly Franz had a wonderful idea, "Hey, Artemis, what would you say about coming with my family and I to travel around in America? I asked my mother and she said that we were already going to visit Glasgow on our way back to Austria."

The archduke enjoyed seeing the other boy's face brighten, "that would be darn awesome! I have to ask me da though."

"I would have to do the same with my family. But let's go!"

They both ran to the parents that were talking to each other on the other side of the room.

"Da, da, da!"

Franz heard Artemis say. But his voice was lost when he started asking his own mother and father

"Can Artemis come with us to travel around America, and then we drop him off in Glasgow? I would so much like to have a friend with me that I can talk to. Please, please, please?"

The parents just looked at each other, Franz moved next to Artemis and they both looked pleadingly up at the adults.

…...

"What do you think, Daniel?" Franz's da asked.

Da just shrugged. "I suppose that's not a problem if it's alright with you."

The boys had big grins on their faces, and hugged their respective parents.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" they both said at the same time.

**Three weeks later…**

"Franz, Artemis. Will you two come here please?" the boys heard the Archduchess say.

"Yes, ma'am?" Artemis said at the same time as Franz.

"I'm sorry to say that we're going to be going home early," ignoring their cries of complaints, "I'm sorry. It's just that America is going through some problems. And I don't think that you really want to be stuck in the middle of a Civil War."

"But that means that Artemis has to go home! And we're such good friends," wailed Franz.

"I know, I know. Maybe we can travel around Scotland for a week. Artemis can show us all the cool sites. How does that sound?" Franz's ma insisted.

"Ok, I guess that's better than nothing, how long can we stay in Glasgow, Mother?"

"What are you insinuating, Franz?"

"Oh, you know," he chided.


	3. Every Day I'm Shufflin'

**I have decided to do that shuffle challenge thing; I forgot the literal name but whatevs…**

**But I'm gonna make you guess the songs, believe me…it's not that hard. **

**And most of these are love songs…don't judge me :p **

**Disclaimer...I don't own the Leviathan Series, I never will, and why do we have to do this for every chapter. I highly doubt that Scott would write fanfics about his own story. But alright...**

1

She said that when she first laid eyes on him that he was her Romeo. And that she was positive that they'd always be together. That was her mistake, he thought. The prince had been thinking the exact opposite at that moment. It had made him want to run a mile. But thinking and thinking, and then thinking some more, he decided that he felt the same. That she was his Juliet. And what would she think of that, he wondered.

2

Whenever she thought of Alek, or even looked at him, she always got strange feelings all over her body. Creeping through her defenses in a strange manner.

She always felt the need to be near him, her feelings were actually becoming sort of pleasant in her mind. But she realized she was just being a mooning lassie, and that was unacceptable on a ship full of men, and he didn't even know she was a girl.

She tried to fill her mind with her work, but would always end up getting those strange feelings.

3

Newkirk had noticed that Dylan was a girl when he first came on the ship, but being on a ship where everyone thought that she was a boy had prevented anything from happening between them

Then when prince Alek came aboard, he had noticed that Dylan had taken a liking to him. And he became very jealous of the other boy

But what topped off his anger was when he had found out her secret and started developing feeling toward her too.

Apparently he was just chasing a girl that was always just a bit out of reach.

4

He could have ruled the world, or at least been very close to it, he could have had everything in his wildest dreams and all the money he could ever need. His children could have everything they ever wanted and then more. He could have seen the every country and city that he wanted, and he could have had as many lovers to his heart's desire. But he gave it all away, he chose the life of a be poor and have to work for everything instead of it all being handed to him. But in the long run, he realized he would be happier, he was with his love and in his mind, and she was his world.

5

He knew it, she was his everything, and he knew that he was just like his father; their love was just like his parents.

He first realized it when the _Goliath_ was about to fire; he knew he couldn't lose her. Everything he thought about would somehow gravitate back to the blond girl. "Deryn, I love you so much, you're my everything and I wasn't to spend the rest of my life with you. Marry me."

"Yes"

6

He realized that they hadn't fought in a while, and that was the good. But he also realized something else; he knew he was falling for her. Over and over, he had never felt this way before. And he knew she was the one. If he didn't have her then he wouldn't have anyone. He wouldn't live for another day because another girl like her would be impossible to find.

7

It was his destiny, he knew that. But still, he couldn't shake the feeling that if everyone just forgave and forgot their problems then everyone would stop fighting. If they would just live in harmony and care about everyone, no one would feel out of place and every lie would be erased and if people would just love one another then people would stop dying.

But that wouldn't happen, so he had to save the day and protect everyone.

8

It was just a kiss. That was it. Nothing more than that. Why did it make them never want to leave each other then? Maybe it was because of the moonlight, maybe the fire and sparks of their touches, or maybe it was that way their lips matched. However they knew that they never wanted to let each other go. To be with each other until eternity.

That is what love is, they finally found it, and knew that everything would be perfect until the end of time. Just a kiss game them the reason to continue.

**I only wanted to do eight because I was too lazy to finish the other two, and I didn't have a good plot, so I didn't do them…**

**Ugh! This is so fluffy! **

**Well anyways, you should review how many you got right, and your thoughts…I honestly don't think these are very good, but I wrote them all around 3:30 each, according to the time of the song...and I wouldn't change them…so yeah, but you should seriously review, I'd love you forever! Ehh probably not, but maybe for ten minutes! :D**

**Here are the songs…**

**1. Love Story, Taylor Swift.**

**2. Bubbly, Colbie Caillat.**

**3. Chasing Pavements, Adele.**

**4. Viva la Vida, Coldplay.**

**5. Everything, Michael Buble**

**6. Fall for you, Secondhand Serenade**

**7. If Everyone Cared, Nickelback.**

**8. Just A Kiss, Lady Antebellum**

**I haven't actually added any songs to my ipod myself in a really long time…my sister always uses it, hence the country and some of the love songs…I really don't like Taylor Swift…but anyways. See ya next chapter! :D**


	4. Where Did The Apples Go?

**I kinda stole this from Middy Miles; I thought it was pretty funny. And I love the game, so why not give it a shot. **

1.

"Come on, your princeliness, it's about to start!" the boy urged him. "I have the tomatoes in my bag."

Alek frowned, "Why do we have to do this, Dylan?"

"Oh suck it up and stop being such a ninny; it's not the end of the world to throw rotten fruit at unsuspecting people in the cast. They're terrible anyways. Think of it as doing a good thing for the people of Germany, who in their right mind would want to see a four-hour-long play about a knight and a rose?" he asked.

"You know that's not really what the _opera_ is about. It's about,-" he began.

"I don't care what it's about. It's going to be barking boring, and why not have fun while we're stuck in Germany?"

Alek thought about that statement for a bit, she did have a point. "But what if we're caught?" he continued.

"Alek, we won't be caught."

"But what if we are?"

"Alek, seriously, we won't get caught. Why do you have to be such a goody-goody?"

That comment made him tick for some reason. For before he even knew he was doing, the prince was reaching into the middy's bag and retrieved a squishy red tomato, and threw it at the fat lady that was singing.

She stopped immediately, and looked for whoever threw the food. Not finding the culprit, she stalked off the stage in a huff. The crowd then went in an uproar, cheering for the person that had stopped the madness.

Alek heard someone laughing loudly next to him. Turning, he saw Dylan folded over himself and clutching his sides.

"What's the matter with you," the prince asked.

"I…didn't…I didn't think you'd…actually do that," the middy confessed, laughing hysterically all the way throughout the sentence.

"Oh," replied the smiling prince.

2.

"Have you ever loved someone, Deryn?" Alek asked.

Deryn sat up and looked at the boy with a confused expression, "like truly?"

"Yeah, like the kind that's so rare, that it only happens once in a life time."

She smiled and reached for his hands, "only once."

"Oh," the boy sat up as well and retracted his hand. "Do you still love him?"

Deryn thought she saw the corners of his mouth pull downwards slightly. She couldn't help but to chuckle a bit. "Of course I do, you daft son of an Archduke."

Then the girl practically jumped on the ex-prince, kissing him so hard that they fell onto the soft purple heather. Alek let out a surprised yelp, but soon warmed up to the feeling. However, he apparently wasn't done talking.

"What about just a petty love then?" he continued

"Alek, why are you even asking?"

"I don't know, I was just wondering."

She sighed. "Aye, I have had a few boyfriends. But they didn't mean anything, and I would never go back to any of them if that's what you're implying."

He seemed happy with the news, but she continued.

"There's a boy that lives down the street, Edward Masen, and I'm pretty sure that he's jealous of you. He's two years younger than us. And I hear that his parents are sick, I think they're moving to America."

"Oh, that's lovely," Alek said solemnly.

"Another one was Christopher Johnson. He was a strange kid."

"Deryn, I think I,-"Alek began.

"Next there was Jason McDougal."

"Deryn,"

"Then there was Michael,-" Deryn was cut off by Alek kissing her suddenly.

"I think I understand. You've had a lot of boyfriends, but really only loved me."

Deryn nodded her head and kissed her prince again. And again.

3.

The Archduke and his wife watched their son from way up in the sky. Neither of them regretting anything that they taught him.

"I think our son has learned everything that is necessary. Even though he's becoming a scientist, which is totally against what we taught him, he is very smart. And he learned the most important lesson of all," the Archduchess said.

"And what is that, love?" Asked the man.

"To follow his heart. Even though it meant that he had to drop everything that we worked so hard for, he made the right choice."

"Yes, I dare say he did. And truth be told, I don't think he would have made a great ruler." The Archduke affirmed.

"I have to agree with you there, he's much more of a people person than a ruler. I think he takes after his father."

The Archduke smiled, "he is so lucky to have someone like her. She reminds me a lot of you, Sophie."

The Archduchess turned her attention to the slim blonde girl that was holding Alek's hand. "I hope you mean in her personality and not in her attitude," Sophie crossed her arms.

"Oh, of course, I wouldn't dare think of it any other way." Franz uncrossed the lady's arms and held her in an embrace. "I'm so lucky to have you too."

"As you should be, Franz."

"Good afternoon," a voice came from behind them. Sophie turned to see that it was Artemis. "Watching our children, I see.

….

Alek and Deryn were sitting in the park, calmly feeding the birds and holding each other's hand.

"I wonder if this is how my parents felt," Alek asked out loud.

"As I do with my da, I wish they were still here so we could ask them. Maybe they're watching us from Heaven."

"Perhaps they're even friends." Alek added.

The pair couldn't help to laugh.

4.

"Ow," Alek yelped. Jeez Dylan, why do you have to be so rough?" he complained.

"Oh, sod off, it's only a wee little scratch," the other boy stated.

"This does not look like a 'wee little scratch' Dylan," Alek continued.

"What, is it a superficial laceration of the epidermis?"

"That sounds painful, so let's go with that," Alek frowned.

"Do you even know what that is, your princeliness?" Dylan questioned.

"I have no idea."

"A small scratch on your skin," the boy laughed and Alek complained some more. "Oh, don't be such a worry wart, let me see."

Alek held out his hand for Dylan to see.

**(POV change.)**

Deryn inspected the prince's hand. The tiny red line across his palm looked like it came from a spare wire, not a fencing saber.

"Oh, Alek, you're right. We should get Dr. Barlow to look at that," she said with a very concerned appeal to her voice.

"I know, let's go. We need to-" Alek began, but he stopped.

Deryn was doubled over in laughter. "Alek, you're such a dummkopf. It's not even bleeding."

The boy looked down at the injury and found that she was right. "Maybe I'm overreacting."

"Maybe?" she questioned.

"Ok, yes. I'm overreacting quite a bit," he admitted.

"Oh, come on, you daft boy. They're serving potatoes today, and we have to put these swords away. So let's hurry, I don't want to miss out like last time."

Alek smiled, "You and your food." Alek shook his head, "to think that if you were a girl, people would just gawk at you," the prince laughed.

Deryn laughed along with him. Feigning the truth that he was so close to finding out her secret.

That meal she didn't eat as much.

**All of these are pretty close to 300 words. Heh. I have to say that 3 was the hardest to write. And the play that Deryn and Alek were watching was Der Rosenkavalier. Don't ask me why they were in Germany though…cause I have no idea.**

**Anyways, now for the words…**

**1. Goody-goody**

**2. Rare**

**3. Lucky**

**4. Rough.**

**This was a lot of fun to do. **


	5. Spifflicated

Deryn walked into the kitchen to find her soon-to-be-husband holding a pot of coffee. He seemed to be sleeping with a certain air of discomfort.

"Alek?" She questioned.

"Mmhmfp," he muffled into his arm.

"What in the barking world did you do last night?"

Alek didn't answer her. Instead, he started snoring.

Deryn was going to get married to this boy in a day. His bachlor party was last night, and she was almost positive that Jaspert had not been watching how many drinks the snotty rich boy had taken. She was going to kill her brother if Alek was incompetent.

She could smell something, but it definitely wasn't as strong as the other people that were in her house, to think of her brother for one.

She heard a sound coming from above her. Knowing exactly who was making the noise, she got a bucket full of water and headed up the stairs.

Deryn opened the door to her brother's room just to see that his light had fallen to the floor, and he was currled up with his knees tucked under his stomach and sucking his thumb. she would have sketched him, but it would've taken too long, so she opted out for something more amusing.

even though she planned on using the water one way or another, she decided to be a nice sister at first and lightly shook Jaspert's arm. Shaking him harder, he barely made a change in his position. She even called his name a few times, but nothing seemed to work.

So in the end, she decided to use the water in the most hilarious way imaginable. Deryn picked up the bottle and threw the contents onto her sleeping brother. thinking of the reprocussions later.

"ARGH! Don't you know it's bad luck to wake a drunk man when he's sleeping?" The man yelled.

"Aye, I do, but fortunately I know how to counter it. The man who did the waking buys the man who was sleeping a drink. The man who was sleeping drinks it while listening to a proposition from the man who did the waking," she stated with a smile.

Jaspert just stared blankly at his sister. "Aye, you got me there. Now anyways, what do you want."

"I want to know what you did to my fiancé last night. How many drinks did he have?"

The older brother rolled in laughter. "Oh, Deryn, you got a real strong one there. He had a hair of the dog. I wouldn't even call it giggle water. The gin mill was about to throw him out, he had so much liquor," his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Deryn couldn't help but laugh. "That's it? Wow, and to think you thought I was marrying a hard boiled man."

Jaspert joined in the laughter. "Yeah, well it's good to know that I found that out before you two were hitched. Say, is there any java down stairs?"

"Yes, you might have to wrestle it out of Alek's grasp though. He was practically snuggling it when I saw him."

"As if that won't be hard," Jaspert stated with a smile and left.

Deryn just shook her head and chuckled before following her brother.

**So...umm I dont really know what to write, I may have a bit of writers block...thats why I haven't posted anything in a while. Sorry :/**

**I got this inspiriation from drinking coffee...I never drink coffee, like ever...this is my first time. And it was just one of those cheap bottled frappuccinos from Starbucks...of that even counts. Well anyways, I wanted to post something really bad, because I'm leaving for vacation in about 30 hours. And I dont know how ofter I could post...**

**In case you got confused when Jaspert was talking about what Alek had, it's old slang from the 20s...**

**Hair of the dog-a shot**

**Giggle water-alcohol**

**Gin mill-a place where liquor is sold**

**Hard boiled-a tough guy**

**Java-coffee**

**Spifflicated-a drunk person**

**I thought the last one was hilarious. I'm still laughing at the word. heh. I hope this made you laugh...and if you find any mistakes, please inform me, but also keep in mind that I wrote this at like three in the morning with about three hours of sleep and a nine ounce iced(ish) drink.**

**I should go pack now...or sleep. Goodnight! :D**


	6. Klaxon, Klaxoff

Count Volger was sitting in his room not paying attention to anything that was happening outside the walls of his confined space. He was calmly studying the maps and charts that he had wrote for a route through the great circle. In his opinion, it would have been faster to take this route, instead of going so far north as Surgut, they could have taken a more direct route and instead of going so far south to Vladivostok, they could have traveled to Tynda to restock the ship.

Even with going to Tunguska, it would have saved an extra day of travelling instead of back tracking and having to fly so far north from Vladivostok to Tokyo.

However, the captain decided to use the great circle route of that insignificant little girl.

Volger was quite glad that Alek found out about her, he did have some doubt though. To be honest, the boy was very smart with all of his tutoring, but Alek isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. Volger didn't know whether or not Alek had enough common sense to see what the newspaper had read. It practically was written for the blind to read what that young girl was doing. Then again, people don't really pay much attention to the newspaper, and if they do it's only for people important.

He reached for his cup of coffee and took a small sip, however, it was still too hot. Just as he was setting it down, an alarm bell rang. Volger remembered Alek had called it a Klaxon. He didn't understand why the boy had become so affiliated with the Darwinists, but he assumed that it was just a phase that would pass soon.

Volger heard footsteps outside his stateroom, and a soft knock proceeded along with a soft giggle. He walked over to the door to find Dr. Barlow waiting on the other side.

"Hello, Dr. Barlow, may I help you?"

"Yes, I have a question about young Alek." She replied.

Volger waited for her to continue. But she didn't, instead, she just walked passed him and sat at one of the chairs at his desk.

She poured herself a cup of coffee and motioned for him to sit across from her.

"How was your day, Count?" The lady boffin questioned.

Volger was a little taken aback by that, but he kept his stoic demeanor, "I'm sorry, Doctor, but was there not something you needed to know about Alek?"

She smiled, and opened her mouth to speak when they both heard a scuttling across the ceiling. They turned their heads upwards to see a message lizard sticking its head out and addressing the lady boffin.

"Dr. Barlow, will you please come to the bridge immediately. We need your assistance as a matter of urgency," the creature said in the captain's voice.

Volger noticed she had a look of annoyance to her face. "Yes, I'll be right there. End message."

The lizard scurried off to deliver the message. "Blasted abominations," Volger cursed. He continued with a few choice words in German.

Dr. Barlow finished her coffee; she stood, and walked over to the door before stopping. "We shall continue with this conversation later, Count." With that, she left the room.

_What conversation?_ He asked himself.

Volger just shrugged his shoulders and proceeded to study his notes. Taking sips of his coffee occasionally.

He heard gun shots coming from the zeppelins, and the roars of some other Darwinist abomination. If he listened closely, he could hear the faint screams of the people.

There was a loud boom from stern of the airship. Volger looked out the window to see that there was smoke surrounding one of the ship's electrikal engines.

Turning away from the window, he shook his head solemnly and sat back down, resuming his work.

A couple of minutes later, Volger reached for his coffee, and brought it to his lips. Not a second later, the room began to tip.

Everything started to slide. He attempted to set the cup down on the table, but at that moment, the ship took a nose dive.

Volger screamed as the hot coffee landed in his lap. He was too focused on what was now seeping into his pants to notice what was sliding at a very fast pace.

The coffee pot spilled onto his white shirt. He was sure that people could hear his screams all the way in his home town.

The Count quickly took off his shirt and saw that his whole torso was burning red, as bright as a tomato.

He hurried out of his room and went to the bathroom. Then he remembered that water is one of the worse things you would ever use to cool yourself off after a burn, so he ran to the galley.

It took some arguing to finally get what he needed, but after receiving a pitcher full of milk he quickly doused himself, and sighed contentedly as the cool liquid ran down his bare chest.

The cooks in the mess stared at him as if he lost his marbles. Count Volger just glared at them and walked out of the room.

He ran into Alek and Mr. Tesla on the way back to his stateroom.

"Hello, Count, How has-" Alek started before he got a full look at him. "Why are you not wearing a shirt and what in the world happened to your pants?" Alek questioned, holding back a laugh.

Volger looked down at himself. He noticed that there was a big wet spot covering the front of his trousers. "Get your mind out of the gutter, young prince. I spilled some coffee while the ship took a sudden nose dive," he retorted.

Alek couldn't hold in his laughter anymore. Volger saw the overly esteemed Serbian boffin chuckle as well too. "Sure you did, Count," Alek tried to say between his laughter.

Volger just huffed, and stalked back to his room, leaving the other two men in the hallway with their giggling fits.

**So…umm I'm sorry that I haven't been able to write very much, or upload at all in these past weeks…it's already been almost three…uhh I'm truly sorry. But I'm on vacation, so don't be too upset…d:**

**And in case you're wondering, I've had a phenomenal time. I've gone to about fifteen different places that have some sort of an interesting history. I even went to NASA, and guess what I saw! It's pretty famous, with at least twenty different trips…well in case you didn't know…it was Atlantis! That's right, one of the orbiters! I took so many pictures! And everyone that was on the tour group was extremely excited. **

**I'll try to upload as soon as I can. Sorry again. :/**

**And no one reviewed for the last chapter? Well that's just not nice of you...now you're just gonna make me go sit in a corner and sulk to myself...unless you decide to review for this chapter :D DO IT! I triple dog dare you! :p**


	7. Klaxon, Klaxoff 2

She had to do it, she just had to. Nora needed to talk to Count Volger. The things on her mind just wouldn't be put to rest until she did.

"Dr. Barlow, I may need some help with one of the message lizards. He seems to be stuck." She heard a lizard say in Dr. Erasmus voice.

Nora sighed, "Yes, I'll be there as soon as I can. End message"

She put down her journal down and headed for the door.

Something that resembled a muffled giggle came from under her bed. Her loris scuttled out from underneath the frame and clambered up to her shoulder.

Dr. Barlow donned a red hat to match her dress and left the room. Her loris was saying random snippets of conversations.

Just as she was turning to go down the corridor where the Austrian's staterooms were the Klaxon started to ring.

She walked past Volger's room and stopped. She remembered that Dr. Erasmus said he _might_ need her help. She called a message lizard, "Dr. Erasmus, I am truly sorry, but something has come to my attention that needs mending. Perhaps I can help you another time. End message."

So Dr. Barlow ignored his request and decided to knock on the Count's door.

Her loris giggled softly, until she shushed it. Count Volger opened the door and she could see a slight smile playing around his lips.

"Hello, Dr. Barlow, may I help you?" He asked.

"Yes, I have a question about young Alek." _What? Why did I say that? That's not what I wanted to ask._ She thought to herself as she made her way to one of the chairs seated around the desk.

Pouring herself a cup of coffee, she motioned for him to sit across from her.

"How was your day, Count?" She asked.

"I'm sorry, Doctor, but was there not something you needed to know about Alek?" Volger asked conversationally.

She smiled and opened her mouth, but a message lizard stuck its head out of a tube, interrupting her train of thought.

"Dr. Barlow, will you please come to the bridge immediately. We need your assistance as a matter of urgency," it said with the captain's voice.

Dr. Barlow sighed inwardly, "Yes, captain, I'll be right there. End message."

After the lizard disappeared she heard Volger say something under his breath "Blasted abominations."

Nora finished her hot coffee quickly. She had grown used to drinking coffee so hot from all her time working with the Zoological Society, so it didn't burn her tongue.

She headed over to the door and stopped, "we shall continue with this conversation later, Count."

Her loris chuckled a bit more; Nora didn't care to stop it this time. She headed up to the bridge quickly.

_You little bucket of fecal matter. Why in the world didn't you talk to him, _she asked herself angrily.

A few minutes following her entery, there was a major decline in the airship. The bridge was facing directly into the ocean!

Captain Hobbes corrected the ship by turning hard to starboard. She noticed that Mr. Tesla and Alek were sliding across the deck. Nora chuckled to herself at the motion, _silly people and their shoes. Everyone knows that you should wear rubber soled shoes on an airship! _She thought to herself.

She noticed Alek was a little frightened by the kappa too. "Will the kappa attack those lifeboats as well?" he asked.

Dr. Barlow shook her head automatically, "not unless the submarine sends out another fighting pulse."

Dr. Busk said something in addition to her comment. But she didn't pay attention because she was thinking of her conversation with Count Volger.

**I know you guys might hate me for this…but I don't really like Varlow. Because I like traditional marriages…and I would think that Dr. Barlow would stay with her husband instead of going to count Volger…however, if her husband was dead, then that's a different story. And I also know that women would marry old me for their wealth, but I think Dr. Barlow sounds pretty rich, AND SHE ALREADY HAS A HUSBAND! So I kept it at that...heh. For now, maybe this is just one sided relationship. With, of course, Volger...Sorry :/**

**Thanks Jett-Wolfe and Nenya for the reviews! :D I guess you guys kinda made me write this next chapter...I suppose it was kinda fun...ish. :p**

**You know, it's kinda hard to write in Dr. Barlow's point of view…**

**Ok, I'm really sorry...this is really short. Uhh, can I blame it on not intending to write this chapter in the first place? heh. It's really not that good either...so don't hate me. Please? :/**

**Did you know that Erasmus is Nora Barlow's father in real life? Lol, how much do you like history? :p**

**Last thing...I dont remember what the doctor that worked in the Lizard Room...I think that it was Dr. Erasmus...but I'm not 100% positive, so correct me if I'm wrong. Please and thank you! :D**


	8. Emperor's Are Vain and Useless Things

"Franz, how many times do I have to tell you, an Emperor is supposed to be strict and treat the citizens as mercilessly as possible?" The emperor of Austria-Hungary told his young nephew.

"I know, Uncle. I just don't know how to be as harsh and as unforgiving as you. I have more of my mother's kindred spirit."

"Ah, yes. And that is exactly the personality you need to get rid of to be a great ruler. Do you believe that King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette of France were good rulers?"

"No, Uncle," Franz replied.

"And why were they not, young Franz?"

Franz sighed, "Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were inadequate rulers because he was indecisive, weak hearted and lacking in power and strength of character, he was unable to give the necessary support to his ministers, in their efforts to stabilize France's tottering finances. He did not have the strength of character or foresight to pursue needed reforms when possible or to deal with the Revolution when it occurred. His undoing of the judicial reforms of his grandfather cost him prestige and his reign was marked by the increasing strength of the aristocrats, who opposed most economic and administrative reforms. However, he was a decent man, and wanted nothing but the best for his people; he just didn't know how to provide it. He also was a good father to his children and a faithful and loving husband to Marie. He might not have been the King that France really needed, though he was a good man that due to his upbringing never had any self-esteem and was never taught anything about how to rule a country."

Josef laughed inwardly, "that's a very in depth answer, Franz. Now tell me, what do I always say? What is the only way to have control over the people you rule?"

"Any action against the throne must be punished ruthlessly. For that is the only way to obtain the absolute power of an emperor," Franz said solemnly.

"Good, now leave my presence. I have things to do and people to see. And I never want to hear someone say that you gave them something. That's how you get people to like you."

"Yes, Uncle."

Franz Ferdinand left immediately, quietly thinking the exact opposite of what his uncle had just told him. And he hoped that he would see Sophie in the garden secretly.

**Marie Antoinette was a Hapsburg. She was the great-great-great aunt of Franz Ferdinand the sister of the first two emperors of Austria. **

**I'm so sorry that this is so short, I've just been extremely busy…hopefully I can have more time to write in November.**

**If you didn't understand what this is, it's Emperor Josef talking to Franz Ferdinand about being a ruler. I watched a movie about King John of England, and the Magna Carta…it was Ironclad if you're wondering. And it was a super good movie, and you should totally watch it…Anyways, John said "Any action against the throne must be punished ruthlessly. For that is the only way to obtain the absolute power of an emperor." Except change emperor to king, and I just thought of a new chapter to write…so here you go. Now go watch the movie!**


	9. Konopischt

"Hey, Charlie, guess where we are travelling," Deryn addressed her young son.

The three-year-old boy looked up at his mother, "Umm, is it the Palace?" He questioned.

Deryn saw Alek smile from the other side of the table, and laughed silently to herself. "Well, yes and no. We are going to a palace, but not one that you'll recognize."

The Hohenburg's six-year-old daughter walked into the kitchen, dragging her doll behind her. She walked up to her mother and held out the doll.

"My doll is broke," she said sadly. "And is it Konopischt?"

"Broken. Your doll is broken," Alek corrected Maria, while Deryn was contemplating how she would amend the detached head of the old doll that belonged to her mother when she was a little girl. Deryn smiled, remembering that she had done the same thing, many years ago.

"Broken," Maria repeated.

"But yes, you are correct. We are going Konopischt, for about a month," Deryn added.

"Where is Kopenoshist?" Charlie asked excitedly.

Deryn smiled at the boy's pronunciation of the word. She noticed Alek getting ready to rebuke his son but she just laid a hand on his shoulder and shook her head.

"It's the place your father is from, Charlie," Deryn answered. She went back to the old doll.

"Oh."

"When are we going to go, máthair?" Maria asked.

"We're leaving in three days, so go pack!" Alek commanded kindly.

Maria and Charlie ran upstairs as fast as a pair of cheetahs on caffeine cheering happily as they went. Deryn meandered over to where Alek was standing, and took his hands.

"Darling, what are we doing in Konopischt? Is it business for the Society?"

"Liebe, can't I just visit my family and friends without having a reason to go?"

Deryn thought for a moment before answering, "no, because I know you, and you don't do things spur of the moment. You always have a reason for everything you do."

Alek huffed; "I do not!" he interjected while crossing his arms.

She just raised her eyebrows and put her hand on her hips.

"Fine, I have a reason, but I can't tell you. Just trust me, everything will be alright. I promise."

**Well, I said that I would be able to type more…or I think I did…but I got my computer back, so now I actually can finish something quickly! :D **

**Umm, there will be more to this story, I just have to think of it…well, make the rest of the plot in my head, and I know what I'm going to do with it, just don't know how I'm going to phrase it all. Umm, when I can actually write the next chapter, I'm not sure…heh.**

**I really need to write a lot, I have so many ideas just sitting in my notebook that are screaming to be read. Well not literally, but you get the idea…maybe I'm going a little crazy. **


	10. Love is in the Air

**Read! Despite the fact that I already posted this...I made quite a few changes. :)**

Sophie was freezing. She promised herself that she would never be outside in Prague during the winter ever again. And she also didn't want to be here, with her patron.

The esteemed Archduchess, Isabella of Croy, was invited to a ball, and was allowed to take a lady-in-waiting. But Isabella's favorite lady in waiting was sick, so she had to subside with Ms. Chotek. Neither was too thrilled about the other being there.

They were standing outside the palace in Prague, waiting for someone unknown to Sophie, to come and get the party rolling, so to speak. This fact only made everyone out on the lawn more anxious.

After waiting another ten minutes, they were all let into the Château. That is, upon giving the invitation and names to the guard on duty. Sophie was glad to get out of the cold, snowy weather.

Once the pair was in the main ball room, Isabella dismissed Sophie from her service for the evening, much to her relief. now, the lady-in-waiting was standing near the door to the balcony, watching the people dance with partners they have never met.

She saw out of the corner of her eye that a tall, slim man walking to a group of girls before turning away, and trying again. Sophie decided that he was just some poor servant, not wanting to be lonesome like herself.

He kept walking up to girls, stopping for a few seconds then turning to the next. Apparently everyone was turning him away. She felt sorry for him; she knew what he was going through. Not that she was ever able to ask men to dance. But she couldn't remember the last time a man asked anything of her, or even looked at her.

Sophie glanced away from the poor man and focused on the clock at the far end of the room. When she he turned her head, he was standing right next to her. She almost leapt out of her skin!

"I'm sorry, miss. I didn't mean to startle you, do forgive me," he said humorously.

Sophie held her tongue, she didn't want to seem too easy going towards someone she just met; which happened to be exactly the opposite behavior of how women are supposed to act. Instead, she crossed her arms, solemnly.

However, the man didn't leave like he did with the other girls. He even had the nerve to start laughing! She was about to say something, but he beat her to it.

"Would you like to go outside, miss? It's getting a little stuffy in this room," he bowed slightly and held out her hand for her to take.

Sophie hesitantly accepted it, not sure if Isabella would approve her going to a secluded area with a stranger. But that is what ultimately made her decision in the end.

He led her to a platform with a low railing on which you could sit. With only one other couple out here, it was much quieter on the balcony.

"I'm sorry, sir, but what is your name?" She asked calmly, while sitting down on the railing

He smiled again, "I'm terribly sorry, miss, my name is Franz. Let us just say our first names, skip all the titles."

"I'm Sophie," she smiled back. "Why do you not want to say our ranks?

"They're a hassle to say, and it takes too long to recite."

Sophie was a little skeptical, so she raised her brow but kept silent. She eventually dropped her head and gathered her winter coat around her waist to keep her warmer.

Apparently Franz noticed, because he took off his suit jacket and draped it across Sophie's shoulders. This action made her look into his dark, emerald green eyes. He smiled softly at her. Franz put his warm hand on her cold face, leaning in ever so slightly, she did too.

But right then, they heard a commotion from inside the palace. A loud crash made them jump a mile apart. Sophie noticed that Franz's face was beet red, and assumed hers was the same shade.

She wouldn't look at his face; she instead went into the ballroom to see what happened. Sophie didn't even bother to check if Franz had followed her.

Apparently the noise was just a pair of crash cymbals to obviously notify something. Her heart rate went back down to normal, and she looked around for Franz, tuning the other sounds and people out of her mind.

But she couldn't find him anywhere. She was about to go back out to the balcony to see if he had stayed there when all of the sudden, Sophie heard his voice over the newfangled microphone. She turned her attention to the stage to see the tall man standing toward the people, with Emperor Franz Josef behind him.

To say that Sophie was shocked would be an understatement. Her mouth hung open wide, with her eyes as wide as saucers. _Of course! Why else would he want to keep his rank private. He's in line for the throne._ Sophie thought to herself.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for coming to this ball tonight; it really means a lot to me that you all came just to celebrate my thirtieth birthday, and it is almost 1895, I plan to make this next year special. I'll hand this microphone back over to my uncle, please talk amongst yourselves," Franz ended his speech with a deep bow.

She watched the Archduke walk calmly down the stairs that were connected to the platform, and made his way to a wide eyed Sophie. She noticed that other people were looking in her direction now.

"I'm sorry Sophie; I didn't think you'd be very comfortable talking to an archduke who is next in line."

She was about to respond to Franz when out of the blue, someone walked up to the couple.

"Archduchess Isabella," Sophie said with a curtsey and a nervous tone.

The archduchess nodded slightly in the direction of Sophie, but turned her attention to the emperor-to-be.

"Happy birthday, your Imperial and Royal Highness. May it be a blessing to you and give honor to God. But I am afraid that I have to be going now. Come along, Sophie," Isabella demanded.

Sophie bowed her head slightly and quietly trailed after the older lady. She was about to clasp her hands together, when Franz caught her by surprise and took her right hand and kissed it ever so softly, making her turn beet red again. He let go just as quickly as he grabbed it, and turned briskly the other way.

Sophie stood there for just a moment, too shocked to move, before speeding after the Archduchess. When they got back to Palais-Albrecht, Sophie went straight to her chamber and thought about what the strange man had meant when he did that form of affection.

A couple years later, Sophie was dismissed from Isabella's service after the archduchess found a pocket watch on a tennis court with Sophie's picture that belonged to a certain emperor-to-be.

Six years after the winter ball, Sophie was holding her newly born son with her husband, Franz, standing over her shoulder.

**Umm, I decided to re-write this...or change it, I noticed that I put what happened in real life instead of what happened in to story(in regards to the last paragraph). This is still going to a competition in December.**

**And this does have factual things...The mic was technically created in the 1870s, so it is possible that they could have some sort of loud speaker type thing at this time...Also, you already know that Franz left his watch with Sophie's picture in it at the tennis court...And Palais-Albrecht is where Isabella of Croy lived...Isabella is obviously Sophie's, umm, patron? I don't know what it's specifically called.../:**

**Anyways, Review please, I wanna know what I can improve. :D**


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